Ravens
by Seeker379
Summary: When Calumet's brothers are transformed magically into ravens, she undertakes a journey tos ave them. Loosely based off of The Seven Crow Princes brothers grimm.
1. Treachery

Disclaimor: I do not own fairy-tales, or The SevenCrow Princes, but I do own these characters and most of the plot.

A/N When her brothers are magically transformed into ravens, Calumet undertakes a journey to save them.

Chapter 1: Treachery

"Milord Rin, your shipment has arrived from the north."

The servant bowed towards his master, a giant of a man in his early fifties, and Rin, the Duke of Koli, nodded imperiously toward him.

"Have the bird brought here straight away and send for my daughter and sons. They will be in the training-yard," he commanded.

"Yes, milord. Right away."

Almost immediately a foreign merchant entered his office with servant that carried a cage of gilded silver, and inside, perched a beautiful bird with glossy black feathers and jewel-bright eyes. Rin smiled with pleasure at the sight of the raven he that had ordered months ago. The bird had come just in time for his daughter's eleventh birthday, and she would be thrilled.

In other parts of the world, ravens were abundant and even considered pests, but in the Duke's country, the winged creatures were extremely rare, only to be obtained from the elusive faeries. For the same price he had paid for the bird, the Duke of Koli could have bought two thoroughbred stallions fit for a king, but his daughter's delight was well worth the price.

The little girl had wanted one ever since she had seen a lord's pet raven at a banquet her father had hosted that could even croak a few human words. Little Calumet, the youngest and only girl out of five children was her father's soft spot. She reminded him of her mother, who had died years ago in an epidemic, but he also took great pride in his four sons who were thirteen, fifteen, sixteen, and nineteen. The raven was a gift from all of them to Calumet for her birthday.

The Duke motioned the merchant and his servant forward, and he inspected the young bird. It cocked its head at him and peered curiously as if inspecting the Duke as well. Then, to his amusement, the raven croaked what sounded like aloof approval and began to preen his wing feathers. Rin chuckled and reached into his desk for the bag of gold and jewels he had stored there, and he laid the small treasure box and opened it for the merchant to see.

Accordingly, the man's hungry eyes lit up at the sight of the small fortune that was his, much more than he had paid the Fair Folk for the bird. The merchant ordered for the servant to set the silver cage on Rin's desk, and he snatched up the treasure box, officially sealing the exchange by shaking hands with the duke. Rin thought that the bird's price was rather exorbitant, but he was not one to argue. The merchant smiled, extremely pleased with his earnings and then leaned forward in a manner of confidentiality.

"Milord Rin, I have news of Worl that may be very… helpful to your cause," he said.

The Duke was immediately on his guard, but he was careful to hide his reaction from the merchant at the mention of his sworn enemy and hated rival. The fighting between the two territories, Koli and Worl, had been going on since his great-grandparents' day, and Rin had continued the legacy with a vengeance. Not only had he won most of the skirmishes on their border, but his clever sense of business had caused his Koli to thrive.

Rin assessed the merchant for a few silent moments before saying, "Well? What is this news?"

"The Duke of Worl plans to assassinate you. He has grown tired of Worl's slow economic decline while Koli prospers, and you are the cause of that wealth. I was recently in that territory when I heard of the plans, and naturally, I did not wish to loose my most valuable customer."

Rin digested the merchant's words coolly, not saying a word. The merchant grabbed a flask of wine from his servant and took a nervous gulp. The Duke of Koli had always unnerved him with his brooding silence, and he was a formidable opponent. As an afterthought, the merchant offered him the wineskin.

"Would you like a drink, milord?"

Rin accepted his offer, still lost in thought, mulling over the merchant's words, and the servant produced two goblets for his master. The Duke took his cup and saluted the merchant before draining it, and a skinny little girl with white-blonde hair still in braids burst suddenly into the office. At the sight of his precious daughter, Rin's entire demeanor changed and softened.

"Papa!" she cried happily and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek while chattering about the sword training.

Calumet's four brothers, Jonol, Dover, Larn, and Scourn entered just behind her, grinning at the scene before them. Abruptly, she stopped speaking and stared at the cage on her father's desk, unable to believe what her eyes saw there. The eleven-year-old glanced toward her father and brothers incredulously, and they all started to laugh at her shocked silence. Rin gently pushed Calumet toward the cage and the bird that perched inside.

"Calumet, dear heart, the bird is a gift for…f-fo…"

He gasped suddenly, and clutched at his throat, eyes widening to an incredible size. Calumet went to her father, concern showing in her blue-green eyes, and she put a gentle hand on his shoulder. The Duke looked to where the merchant stood smirking in the corner, and started to pale and tremble.

"Papa? Papa, what is wrong?" asked Calumet, quite alarmed.

"P-poison!" he wheezed.

Then, he slumped forward onto his desk, as a final shudder wracked his broad frame. While her brothers stood immobile, Calumet jerked his head up, crying, "Papa! Papa! Wake up!"

The merchant came forward.

"He is dead!"

Calumet's four brothers turned on him in rage, and their swords flashed out of their scabbards. But the merchant was undaunted. He drew a tiny leather bag out of his pocket, and before any of the brothers could move, the killer had squeezed a pinch of black dust from inside. The four boys charged, shouting with fury, their swords upraised for a killing stroke just as the merchant cast the black powder towards them.

In a flurry of black feathers and raucous cawing, the four boys became four ravens, and their swords clattered to the ground. Calumet stood trembling with terror at her dead father's side, and she was so terrified she could not even scream for help. The murderer tossed a net he had ready and waiting, and quickly caught the four birds, unused to their new wings.

Then, he turned and bowed mockingly toward the petrified child with a sneer of disdain.

"Because of the unfortunate demise of your father and brothers, it seems that you are the new Lady of Koli. Here, come and take your new pet," he commanded.

But Calumet refused. The treacherous merchant laughed contemptuously at her.

"You have paid a great price for this bird, and I would not begrudge you your prize. Do not worry, my dear child. I will not kill you. Enough damage has already been done to Koli that I not even need to worry about you. The Duke of Worl will pay me well. I dare say, I will live comfortably for the rest of my life."

He rubbed his hands together greedily.

"Come, get the bird. Now!"

Too terrified to do anything else, Calumet came forward. The merchant pulled a silver key out from where it hung on a chain around his neck, opening the cage, and Calumet glimpsed a line of inscribed runes. She took her new pet from where it cowered at the bottom of the cage because of the chaos. It was young enough to be cradled by her two hands, and the raven immediately fluffed up its feathers in contentment. The merchant tossed the four other ravens into the cage, and it clanged shut with a bang that made Calumet jump. The merchant gestured at it, saying, "It's a faerie cage. Your brothers will only be transformed into their former selves if one unlocks the cage with this specific key, and I will have it with me always. The other keys will just open the door."

The man seemed to enjoy tormenting the girl, showing how impossibly her brothers were enchanted. He motioned his servant forward to carry it. The servant exited the room, but the merchant paused before leaving. He turned towards Calumet and sneered.

"I hope you enjoy your pet."

Calumet could hear him cackling all the way down the stairs, but the little girl stood trembling with shock long after he left.

The door of the office flew open to admit Calumet's nana, and she gasped in horror at the carnage. Her hand flew to her mouth and only a soft "oh" escaped. After that, her lips opened and closed in a fruitless attempt to ask what had happened. Only the harsh sobs of her small charge was able to elicit action out of the older woman. She snapped into mothering mode and went to comfort Calumet.

"Th-th-the merchant! He… killed Papa! And he turned Jonol, Larn, Dover, and Scourn into four ravens, just like my pet!"

Her voice rose in volume until she was screaming, and Calumet told the nana all that had happened in detail.

The nana hardly believed the last part until she saw the bits of glittering black dust on the floor, along with feathers. Calumet had never been one to lie, and the sinister dust gave the distinct impression of magic. Fair Folk wares were rare, with a unique, individual odor, but she had never heard of anything as menacing as a transforming powder.

She examined it, smelling the sharp, spicy tang of faerie magic, and her heart fell. She guided Calumet away from the menacing stuff, her mind racing. Even if Calumet told the truth, she would be thought insane and unfit to rule Koli as duchess when she came of age. The nana grasped Calumet's chin and made her look up. The girl's tear-stained terrified face tugged at her heart.

"Calumet, you must promise me something."

"What," she asked, her voice thick.

"Do not tell anyone else what happened to your brothers. It must be kept a secret. If someone asks, say that they just disappeared and that you don't know where they are. Okay? Promise me?"

Calumet nodded, fully trusting her nana while the tears streamed down her cheeks.

"I promise."

The king had investigated into Rin's death, but the investigation was given up because of the lack of information. No one could ever understand how her brothers had disappeared without a trace.

So, a steward was hired to run the dukedom of Koli for the next four years until Calumet came of age, but he was a mean-spirited selfish man who was caught pilfering money from their tiny revenue. Calumet had him imprisoned and took over the operation of the territory at fifteen, but the damage had already been done. Koli had deteriorated to a miserable state because of the steward and the death of Rin, a sad echo of its former grandeur. Very few of the farms had survived the last winter, and the great mansion that had been furbished richly was empty and bare. Only twenty or so loyal families remained out of over one hundred that had lived on Koli land in her father's time.

Fortunately, Calumet's coming of age saved Koli from utter ruin, and afterward, it slowly began to heal. Families started trickling back to make their homes, and the farms began to produce food once more. News came from Worl that the Duke had died, and that his young nephew had stepped into his place, but there was no more trouble from the neighboring territory.

Calumet leaned out as far as she could through the open window. The trees were turning brilliant shades of orange, yellow, and crimson, and the sky had become crisp and clear. A flock of birds suddenly burst out from the trees beneath and turned towards the south to migrate for the winter, and Calumet yearned to go with them. She jerked away from the window and began to pace across the confines of her room. They were bigger than most in the manor, but she could only take nine long steps one way and ten the other before she ran into the stone wall. She sighed and cast a longing glance at the window once more. She felt so… caged, even though she could leave any time she wished as Duchess.

A few months ago, she had turned sixteen, a young woman, accustomed to her father's position of power. The tender eleven-year-old girl who had been abandoned had survived out of drive, determination, and wit alone. She had even kept the raven to vex the merchant and taught him to scout for her as well as to speak a human word. Boe, as she had named him, was her constant companion, like a second black shadow, and he could be seen perching on her shoulder or flying above.

Now, though, she yearned for adventure, for change, and the brooding autumn season especially amplified these feelings. Calumet strode to her bookcase and took out one filled with maps, information, and lore of different countries. It had a worn binding, and the pages smelled of leather, dust, and time. After leafing through the pictures and tracing different roads she longed to traverse, the inscription on the inside cover caught her eye.

_To Little Cal. For your curiosity and to keep you out of mischief._

_ -With love, your brothers_

And inspiration hit. Calumet clutched the book close to her, and declared out loud to the empty room, "I will go and search for my brothers."

Although, this was the first time the idea had been crystallized, she knew that it had been lurking at the back of her subconscious since that fateful day. And, if she succeeded in finding her brothers, maybe she could even track the merchant down.

Though only five years had passed, the difference between the eleven-year-old and the sixteen-year-old was immense, but sometimes the pain was as fresh and new.

That day in her father's office had been carved into her mind, with vivid pictures and sounds. She could remember her father's pale face, her brothers' enraged cries, and the merchant's laughing, vicious words. Calumet's face became stone cold and bitter. The merchant had taken away all of her family and her only friends, and the subsequent years had been a dark and lonely time. She had grown up as the Duchess of an isolated community with no friends or even equals within miles. The servants, even her nana, had treated her as her position demanded.

Calumet closed her eyes and willed away the painful memories. Those vulnerable years were in her past. She was an independent Duchess now, who ruled an entire territory with cunning at the age of sixteen.

But Calumet knew she could not leave right away. Koli was still recuperating from its rapid decline, and her presence was crucial. So, she was forced to wait for the right opportunity. Slowly, she would prepare Koli to operate without her guidance and leave in search of the remains of her cursed family.

Her chance came a year later when an incredible discovery was made in Calumet's hills and caves to the west. A rich gold vein was found, and Koli quickly became quite wealthy. The new source of income lifted Calumet's land out of its depression once and for all.

Quite a success by the age of seventeen, her sudden wealth and single status attracted many marriage proposals, but she refused all of her suitors in a polite but authoritative manor. The men could not argue with the steely resolve that revealed in her blue-green gaze, and it was filled with sadness and maturity way beyond her age. Calumet had experienced much in her seventeen years, and it showed in her eyes.

But her real adventure began on the sixth anniversary of her father's death and her brothers' disappearance.


	2. Hunt

A/N Chapter 2! Enjoy and Review! Oh, and my updates will probably depend on when I can get access to the internet at school, but I will aim for once a week. Please, please, please review!

Starry Eyed Bunny thanks for the review!

Chapter 2: Hunt

Calumet, with Boe perched on her shoulder, paced slowly around the office, pausing to look out the window at the many acres of farmland below. A single road of packed dirt led the way out of Koli towards the capital, and she sighed. That was the same road the deceitful merchant had taken with her brothers all those years ago, and the sight of it, hardened Calumet's resolve.

A tentative knock at the door drew her attention away from the road.

"Come in."

Her nana's face peeked in, slightly nervous. The woman had always hated the office after that fated day. Finally, she edged all the way in, instinctively hugging the wall, and behind her was Calumet's head farmer, who represented and spoke for all the other farmers. He was a large trustworthy man with a good sense of judgement. They looked to Calumet for her orders, and she came to stand in front of the desk, while Boe flew to land on the windowsill.

Without preface, Calumet started to speak.

"I have decided to go and search for my brothers."

Her nana immediately gasped and started to interrupt, but Calumet held up her hand imperiously for silence. The elderly woman became quieted, and Calumet continued.

"As I was saying, I am leaving today and have no idea how long I will be gone. Koli is prospering because of the gold, and you do not need me to farm. No, don't interrupt."

She turned to the farmer.

"I am leaving you as steward of the castle. You know how to deal with events around here and where things belong. I trust you completely. Nana, you are to keep an eye on the servants and make sure they continue to do their work for my steward. I will try to contact you occasionally to make sure all is going smoothly. That is all. Thank you for your service."

She turned back to the desk abruptly and started to fill a small sack with coins while the two servants stood in shock and Boe cackled at them from the window. Finally, the steward exited the room to prepare for his new duties, but Calumet's nana remained.

"Milady, please don't leave! Your brothers have been missing for six years. Is it really possible that they are still ali–"

Calumet cut her off abruptly.

"No, don't say that! I must try. Nothing you say can convince me to stay. Besides, Koli is in fine hands."

Her tone indicated that topic of discussion was closed.

"Where will you search, milady?" asked the nana, knowing it was fruitless to argue with her stubborn mistress.

Calumet answered from behind the desk where she pulled other objects out of the drawer to pack.

"I am going to start with all the aviaries of the nobles. That merchant would not have simply killed four valuable birds, even if they were humans transformed and stuck in that faerie cage. Now, I will need some flat-bread and dried meats from the kitchen."

The nana scurried out of the room with a worried frown on her forehead. When she came back, a young girl in cotton pants, shirt, and boots with a dusty face stood waiting for her, and she almost dropped the food in surprise. The girl flashed her a rare smile at her reaction, and the nana suddenly recognized Calumet. Boe flew to her shoulder, and crowed his approval of the disguise.

"This way, no one with recognize me. When I disappear, if anyone comes looking for me, though I don't know who would, they will be looking for a noblewoman."

She reached out to where a pot of flowers rested on the desk and patted some of the dirt on her face and hands. After giving her nana a quick hug, she took her food and slung her satchel over her shoulder, and the elderly woman watched from the office window until she saw Calumet riding along the road with Boe in the air above her.

Riam stared into the forest as his horse trotted down the road in the escort of his personal guard. According to his soldier's report, the trespasser and her mount had slipped into the woods, and though he had been lost, the man had found tracks leading into the woods. After that, he had immediately returned to report to Riam, at the manor mile or two away, and the Duke had ridden out with an entourage of soldiers and hunters.

Riam, the Duke of Worl, normally did not involve himself with small matters of security such as trespassers, but recently, guards had warned him of a rider that had appeared at the Koli-Worl border. Even more disturbing, the trespassing girl had been caught in the aviary where he kept his prize hunting birds, a building that was directly below his quarters. Therefore, the trespasser could be considered a threat and possibly an assassin. He could not understand how a stranger could have made it through security to get into the keep of his castle, but moreover, he wanted to know why.

The Duke's hounds, prancing and tugging at their leashes, let up a loud chorus of barks and howls that grated on Riam's already tightly wound nerves, and he scowled. Even though they had been strictly trained from birth, the dogs were dancing about nervously as stray mutts, and Riam knew they were eager for a hunt after being cooped up for the long winter. But the trespasser would hear them coming from a mile away if they continued their ruckus.

"Hunts-master," he barked. "Quiet the dogs."

The Hunts-master swung down from his fleet-footed bay and went to aid his apprentice holding the leashes. Then, the servant leading the way called back.

"Milord, here is where the girl disappeared!"

Riam's pulse quickened, and he kicked his mount, a giant roan charger that was used in the jousting tournaments. The servant pointed out the tracks; Very light on the dry ground but the hoof marks of a horse nonetheless. Riam hopped off the charger and followed the trail into the forest. Faintly, there were boot-prints. The girl had dismounted and waited for the servant to pass before leading her horse deeper into the forest. Glancing up, Riam scanned the dense foliage and realized it was too tangled to ride through at a fast pace. But the girl would not have abandoned her mount, and the horse would slow her down. Riam had servants that could watch their horses. Suddenly, a coal-black raven exploded from the trees nearby, crowing raucously, and Riam could have sworn he heard him screech, "Intruder!"

Shaking his head, the Duke returned to the road with adrenaline pumping through his veins, and ordered for the Hunts-master, his apprentice, and ten of the royal foresters to leave their steeds with the rest and follow him into the wood. The frenzied hounds swiftly caught the scent, as their blood started to race, and they were forever getting tangled in the trees and on each other's leashes. Finally, the Duke gave the order for them to be set loose, and the pack dashed off with wild baying into the trees. Riam and his men were quick to follow.

At the base of a massive knotted oak, older than any man could remember, Calumet had made her camp. A small fire made from fallen branches crackled near her toes in the center of a carefully cleared ring of dirt, and her mare was picketed near patches of fresh grass and a spring. Calumet chewed on a piece of jerky, tired but content. She still wore her cape wrapped about her body, to protect it from the cool night air.

The manor of Worl, though well guarded, was easy for one small farm girl to slip into unnoticed. She had merely joined up with a large group of merchants who frequently traded with the castle and knew the guards. Really, the task of getting in had been simple, but she had nearly been caught in the aviary. That night Calumet had seen the entire aviary, so she could cross Worl off her list of dukedoms still to search.

She knew that her search might be in vain. Her brothers could be dead or in a different country, and even if she did manage to find them, what if she could not change them back to their original forms? Calumet forced herself to bury these gnawing doubts. Worry would not help her.

Calumet's stomach growled menacingly at her, and she was just biting into her dinner when her mare nickered uneasily, starting to dance about on her lead. Calumet watched her carefully, for horses had better hearing than humans did. Suddenly, the mare started to plunge about crazily, pulling on the rope, and then Boe alighted on a nearby branch screeching his warning, the one word he knew.

"Intruder! Intruder!"

Calumet felt a shiver creep down her spine. The whites of the mare's eyes were visible, and her ears were lying flat against her neck, as she frothed slightly at the mouth. Then, the sound reached Calumet's ears also, the sound of hunting dogs. For a moment she froze, and then leapt to stomp out the fire. In a panic, she grabbed her saddlebags before cutting the mare loose.

Calumet glanced about in alarm. Where could she hide that the dogs would not find her? She remembered a cave nearby, and sent the mare off alone into the woods with a slap on its withers, hoping that the dogs would follow the horse and not her own trail. Calumet sprinted through the trees towards where she had spotted the cavern entrance earlier, still clutching her dinner. Boe flew up into the sky after screeching once more.

Calumet's hiding place would be perfect, because even if none of the tunnels led outside, the entrance was just barely big enough for a single person to fit through. Just as the hounds emerged into view, Calumet stooped into the cave. The girl sat down right to the side of the entrance, her knife in her lap, and she pulled her cloak tighter around her body. Outside, the sounds of confusion and chaos had shattered the peace of the forest.

It seemed that the dogs had split up, most heading after the horse, but a few lingered, looking towards the cave. A man's voice quelled the noise, and soon it was quiet once more.

"Which way did the dogs go?"

"They split up, my liege. Most of them went west, deeper into the forest, but these three seem to have picked up a different scent."  
Then, someone else, Calumet supposed another servant cried out, "Milord, I have found the remains of a campsite! The coals are still glowing!"

Calumet grimaced, and popped a piece of the dried meat into her mouth. She chewed slowly as she listened to the conversations taking place outside. The noble was speaking again.

"So the trespasser sent her horse off alone?"

Her head shot up, and Calumet realized that they were looking for her and not just hunting wild game! All she had done was trespass! She had not even stolen anything!

"That is what the tracks show, your majesty."

"Let us see where these dogs head, then," decreed the noble voice.

Calumet, reluctant to abandon her meal, wiped her fingers on her black cape and picked up her blade. The hounds were at once at her doorstep, making a raucous commotion at the mouth of the cave. Their barks echoed in the cavern deafeningly, and Calumet was almost dropped her knife to place her hands over her ears. In desperation, she snatched up the jerky and ripped a piece of meat off, tossing it to the dogs. The howls were replaced with snarls of possession and growling. Outside, a voice called excitedly.

"A horse cannot fit in there! Come on men!"

Calumet continued to hold the pack at bay by chucking her dinner at them. Then, all was quiet.

Suddenly, the head of a soldier appeared in the cave, and Calumet hesitated for only a minute with her knife. Then, she sent the hilt of the blade crashing down on his skull, rendering the man unconscious. After a silent apology to the poor man, he tumbled down from her hiding place with a quick shove. The voices outside started up once more.

"Quick, take his pulse!"

"He's bleeding in the back of his head!"

"Is he dead?"

"No, just unconscious. Get me some water for this wound! And a bandage too!"

The flurry of action continued until the noble cut them short.

"Silence!" roared a commanding voice.

Everyone listened to him, even the frenzied dogs. Then, he seemed to be addressing Calumet.

"Trespasser, will you come out?"

Calumet snorted to herself. No way!

"I only wish to know your intentions in my castle. You will make this situation much simpler time if you come out."

The cajoling tone of his voice did not trick the girl, however, and even though they could not see her, Calumet crossed her arms and shook her head no vigorously.

"Will you harm me if I come into the cave?"

In answer to that, Calumet held the knife in plain view, and a wave of nervous laughter reached her ears.

"Then it seems we are at a standstill, Lady Trespasser," he drawled mockingly. "For I will not leave until I get my answers. Consider yourself warned. Men! Set up camp!"

Calumet groaned, but she had to hand it to the man: he was stubborn. Maybe, she reasoned, she could slip out at night.

A/N Chapter #3 next week! REVIEW


	3. Intruder

Lemurian-Girl thanks for the review. Yeah this story is loosely (VERY loosely based off of the brother's Grimm fairy-tale

Hiro No Tsuki Thanks for the tip! I didn't know I had the anonymous review thing disabled

Starry Eyed Bunny The description of Riam is coming in the fourth chapter, but just to let you know, he is tall with sandy blonde hair and dark gray eyes.

Chapter 3: Intruder

Outside, Duke Riam paced back and forth before the mouth of the cave. There had been no sound for the past few hours, and it was pure torture to wonder if the trespasser was even there at all. She could have fallen asleep. She could have gotten out another way, even though his foresters were posted around the area. Or the trespasser could simply be waiting there for someone to dare walk in, like a hunter waiting in ambush for its prey. It was driving him mad not to know. Darkness had set over the land a long time ago, and they were already halfway through the night. The girl would be able to last for days inside the cave if she had a supply of food and water.

All around, the night swathed them in a thick darkness, like a veil, and the campfire had trouble penetrating the shadows even for a few feet. Crickets sang ominously while a sickle moon hung low in the sky, and the sounds of owls, raccoons, and other nocturnal animals swelled until it was almost deafening. Most people though the wilderness was quiet, but the Duke was discovering the forest was louder than the capital city in its own way.

Stamping his boot in frustration, Riam faced the cave once more. He stood that way for a while, an intense battle raging back and forth in his mind. Finally, he had made up his mind, and he made his way to the cave with purpose. Heads snapped up around the campfire and from their different posts, all watching their Duke.

As he came to the mouth of the cave, Riam had to crouch down on his hands and knees to fit his frame through the entrance. He waited silently, allowing his eyes to adjust to the blackness. In front of him was the stone floor of the cave and ten feet further was a wall with a tunnel leading away from the main cavern. The girl was gone.

Riam shouted for a forester who was small and agile, ordering him to follow the tunnel and see where it went. Meanwhile, the camp was quickly packed up. After only a few minutes, the forester came running out of the woods.

"Milord! It comes to the surface three or four hundred yards later! I will lead you to the spot!"

The hunters were off again, but this time, the dogs could not pick up the trail of the girl.

The Duke's foresters seemed to be right behind her, and Calumet bolted desperately through the forest, her dagger ready and waiting. She could not abandon her brothers so early in her search! Fortunately, for the girl, the dogs seemed to be confused as to what they were tracking. They would dash off after every squirrel and raccoon, but Calumet was still in danger. As the foresters crashed through the forest, calling and searching with their confused dogs, Calumet slipped like a furtive shadow from tree to tree, further and further away from her hunters as the sun rose slowly through the sky.

To confuse them even more, she changed directions, heading northeast instead of continuing on her original westerly course. Calumet's plan worked, and the foresters headed the wrong way. Their calls became faint, finally disappearing all together, but a low grumbling sound and Boe's shrieking, "Intruder!" replaced them.

Calumet paused and frowned in confusion, while her neck prickled ominously. She whirled around, and came face to face with two tiny pig-like eyes in a huge shaggy brown head. The giant jaws opened to reveal a carnivore's long teeth, and a wave of foul air washed over Calumet. A thunderous roar threatened to make her eardrums explode. The giant's paw swept at her, and easily flung Calumet through the air a moment before the word bear registered in her mind.

Calumet crashed into a tree, white-hot pain exploding in her skull. Lightheaded and disoriented, Calumet realized she still held her dagger by some miracle. With a feral snarl, the bear charged Calumet, and she barely had enough time to lift up the dagger. The monstrous beast impaled itself, and Calumet rolled away as he stumbled. She quickly jumped on his back and killed the bear.

Choking back sobs of relief, Calumet crawled through the grass and leaves to lean against the base of a tree away from the carcass. The bear had clawed her right across the stomach, and the deep gashes were bleeding profusely through her tattered cotton shirt. Calumet took out a knife, and cutting strips of cloth off her cloak, she bound up the wounds as best she could.

She knew that she had to get to water soon, and that food would be near water as well. The cheerful gurgling of a creek reached her ears, and Calumet slowly limped towards the sound. There ahead of her, a tiny stream ran fresh, cold, and clear and the girl stumbled to its banks

Her vision was blurring, and Calumet did not think that she could stand it much longer without a drink. She knelt down painfully, still in shock, and took off her cape and hat. The cool creek ran swiftly over the rocks in the streambed, and Calumet put her lips to the water eagerly, guzzling the stuff down. Only when her belly threatened to rebel, did the girl pulled away from the water. Then, she reached down and splashed some on her face, and Calumet slid off her boots. She dangled her feet in the water while looking to her stomach. Blood was beginning to seep through the bandages.

"No," she groaned. "My pack."

It was back with her horse in the saddlebag, and she had some herbs that would help in there. Calumet grabbed at the course grass on the riverbank while her stomach rebelled, and sent all the water she had just drank back up her throat. Calumet retched until long after her stomach was empty.

"Intruder! Intruder!"

The shrill cry nearly caused Calumet to jump out of her skin, and she looked hazily up to see a raven perched on a branch above the stream.

"Hey there, Boe. Shhhh. No one is nearby."

She held out her wrist for him, and then Calumet gave the bird a berry from a bush next to her. He croaked his word once more for good measure, and greedily gobbled the treat down. Calumet had repeated the word to him over and over until he could mimic it perfectly in his rasping hoarse voice. She soaked in his comforting presence, stroking his gleaming pitch-black feathers before he flew back to his branch. Already, the oppressive heat of the noon sun had found its way through the trees, and Calumet reached down to rub some cool water on the back of her neck. Boe screeched, and Calumet, who was starting to get dizzy, glanced across the creek to hush the bird.

The reflection of a familiar face in the water was staring back at her. Utter terror gripped the girl as she turned slowly looked back. Staring at her was the Duke, but Calumet was rooted to the ground, as her dagger slid from her hands into the creek. Finally, gaining control of her limbs, the girl stumbled to her feet.

Calumet tried to run, but it was too late. Muffled boot-steps came in pursuit, and the Duke tackled her from behind. Even though Calumet struggled violently, Riam was stronger though, and he pinned her arms at her side. He stared at her for a long moment. Then, he called for his men, and a distant shout answered his summons.

"Let me go," Calumet panted, knowing she was about to faint from the pain.

"No," was his reply. "What happened to you?"

"Bear," she replied through clenched teeth.

"What is your name?"

She clamped her mouth shut, and her eyes became chillingly blank. No emotion showed in their depths or on her face, but as the sound of his men making their way toward the creek, Calumet started to thrash about wildly. Riam shifted his weight to hold her down, pressing his knee into her stomach, and Calumet gasped and stilled. Boe, livid at the attack on his beloved mistress, started diving viciously at the Duke's head, and he threw up his arms to protect his face. Calumet, on the other hand, had already slipped from consciousness with one last thought of despair for her lost brothers.

Duke Riam's horse plodded along the road on through the day until nightfall. It had taken them almost three hours to find their way out of the forest and back to the road, but his captive had been out cold the entire time. Now, she was seated in front of him on his charger, enabling Riam to examine her.

She was pretty in an unconventional way, even though she was only five foot two. Her silver-blond was chopped just below her jaw, and it accented her jawbone while revealing a graceful swanlike neck. Her face had high cheekbones, arched brows, and a slim nose, but Riam could not remember if her eyes had been blue or green. The odd thing was that her right arm was scarred as if by bird's talons from the elbow to her wrist.

Again and again, he turned the puzzle of the girl over in his mind. Who was she? Where did she come from? What was her name? And why had she been sneaking around the aviary?

Thankfully, the girl had slept throughout the entire journey after passing out in the woods; otherwise, the ride would have been extremely painful for her. They reached the manor of Worl an hour after noon, and as the band reached the large iron gates of the mansion, servants hurried out to see who was coming. The gates were swung wide open, welcoming the Duke, and a black raven settled on the wall, crowing loudly.


	4. Worl

Disclaimor I do not own fairy-tales, or The SevenCrow Princes, but I do own these

characters and most of the plot.

Starry Eyed Bunny You are AMAZING for reviewing every chapter! Thank you and

enjoy!

Iloveme2815 Thanks for the review. I hopw you enjoy Chapter 4. Oh, and at the end, I

will summarize the Seven Crow Princes story. (My story is very, very different

from the original. I guess my imaginations just got carried away!)

Chapter 4: Worl

Calumet woke in a clean bed. She glanced around to find herself in a simple, but by no means poor room with a trunk, table, mirror, and chairs. There was one window to the right of her bed, in through which, sunlight streamed. Glancing down, she discovered fresh bandages around her stomach, and the acrid scent of healing herbs still clung to her clothes.

The door swung open, and in bustled a slightly over-weight woman, probably a healer by her dress. She smiled cheerfully when she saw her patient had awoken, and held up a cup of water and a tray of food. The girl eyed the tray hungrily, and the delicious aroma of fresh bread, fried eggs, and fruit wafted to greet her. When all the food was gone from her plate, Calumet's mind wandered irrevocably through her predicament.

Who was the man who held her captive? Where was she? And when would she be released to search for her brothers? As if in answer to her questions, her captor entered the room that very moment, and it was then that Calumet recognized the man with a sinking heart. He was tall and lean, yet not overly thin with sandy blond hair and grayish-black eyes, kind of like smoke. The man's name was Riam, the newest Duke of Worl and nephew of the man who had paid the merchant-assassin. He stared at her, and Calumet glared right back, taken-aback and angry with her rival.

"Are you going to stand there and stare all day, or will you answer my questions?" she snapped peevishly.

Riam scowled.

"Do you not know who I am, girl? I could have you relieved of your head for a comment like that."

She snorted in derision, thinking of his murderous uncle.

"I know exactly who you are, and I would not care one bit if you were the King of all earth or a piece of village scum. I would still hate you either way."

Riam shook his head.

"I think I liked you better unconscious," he drawled wryly. "What do you want to know?" Riam asked, struggling for a polite tone.

"Why do you have me here? When will you let me go? Where are we, anyway?"

Riam held up his hands, saying, "Whoa, one at a time. First of all, we are in the manor of Worl. In answer to your first and second question, you already know why you are here. I want to know what you were doing in the aviary. You will be released after you answer my questions."

Calumet clenched her fists in anger, but she swallowed the bitter retort on the tip of her tongue to remain stubbornly silent. She was unaccustomed to being disobeyed or ordered around, and Calumet did not like the feeling one bit, especially when it was the Duke of Worl who was giving the orders.

"I want to know what you were doing in the aviary."

She eyed him coldly, trying to think up an innocent excuse.

"I simply needed shelter for the night, and the aviary was open."

"You are lying. I want the truth now!"

She slowly came to her feet and hissed through clenched teeth, "Even if I have to spend the rest of my life rotting in this room, I refuse to answer your questions. You are arrogant, selfish…"

"Quiet!" the Duke finally roared.

To his surprise, the girl listened, standing there shaking and pale, but there was a determined glint in her eyes, like hard rock.

"Lay back down in your bed, or you might reopen the cuts."

Calumet shook her head defiantly, and Riam ran his hands through his fair hair, thoroughly frustrated. The Duke could see her white knuckles and shaking body. The girl was too stubborn for her own good. Calumet continued to cling tightly to a chair that sat beside the bead, afraid of toppling over, but there was no way she would listen to her proud rival. Riam came forward, picked her up, and set her back on the bed, pulling the covers up high around her.

Calumet was too surprised and weak to fight back, as suddenly, a painful coughing fit racked her body. Riam tried to offer her water, but she hit it away, spilling it all over the Duke. The nurse bustled back in, glaring at the wet Duke for upsetting her patient, and she quickly shooed Riam out the door. When her coughing fit had finally stopped, Calumet lay back and looked tiredly around the room. To her relief, the Duke was not there anymore, and she sighed and closed her eyes, lying back in bed. She had not the strength to spar with him anymore, and she needed her rest in order to continue the quest when the chance presented itself.

Riam stalked through the castle, and the servants and tenants who saw his foul humor quickly ducked out of the way. The stupid girl! No on had ever managed to get the calm Duke so worked up and angry. Riam banged his fist against the nearest wall, and the pain quickly brought him back to reality. But he needed the girl's answers. So how would he get on her good side? With some good old-fashioned charm, that was how. Riam grinned to himself, plans quickly forming in his mind.

He shouted, found a forester, and ordered the man to bring him the girl's pack. A few of his hunters had found the mare while he had searched for the girl. Riam dumped it contents onto his bed, and sifted through them. A book lay among the pile of gold coins, medicines, and survival tools, and on the inside, there was an inscription. It read…

To Little Cal. For your curiosity and to keep you out of mischief.

-With love, your brothers

The Duke had a name: Cal. And she was most likely a noble of some kind, for the girl obviously knew how to read. He flipped through the worn book and discovered that it was a collection of tales from faraway lands complete with detailed maps and descriptions of culture. Its pages had been turned many times, for they were faded and torn, and the book was the only personal item in the pack. It was not much to go on, but it was something.

The next day, Calumet woke to find the Duke sitting in a chair across the room, staring at her. She groaned, closed her eyes, and rolled over onto her stomach. That was a mistake! Calumet sat bolt upright at the lancing pain, and Riam worked hard to hide his smile. She turned stiffly towards the Duke, still seeing stars.

"Well, well, well, just the person I was longing to see."

Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, and Riam bit his tongue to stop an angry reply.

"The doctor said that you needed to get exercise and fresh air in order to heal faster. I just was sent to help you outside."

Calumet slowly swung her feet off the bed. She took a while to get on her feet, blanket clutched around her shoulders for warmth, but her eyes were bright and ready.

"Let's go."

Riam had to choke back a laugh at her eagerness, and instead, he handed her the pack that they had recovered from her mare's saddlebags.

"Here's your bag. We found your little mare in the woods, and she is being taken care of in the stables."

As Cal preceded him from the room, he studied the girl and the way she walked. Although there was a limp, his captive's gate was much like a lady's, and that further confirmed his hypothesis that she was nobly bred. They came out into the sunshine of the gardens, and Calumet peered about happily. The long hours of sleep had obviously done the girl a world of good, for she was much healthier than the day before. In the courtyard, there was a fountain and the aviary, located at the far end, but Calumet barely even glanced at the building.

Calumet slowly walked the perimeter of the courtyard once, pretending to look at the buildings all the while counting how many guards there were and searching for a way out. This did not escape Riam's gaze, and he grinned to himself. Calumet was determined, but he would be watching now. To frustrate her, the Duke led the girl gently but firmly by the elbow over to a fountain.

"You must be tired now. Please have a seat by the fountain while I call for a servant to bring us refreshments."

Calumet stared at him through suspiciously narrowed eyes, but she had no choice other than to obey him with all of the people that were around. The servant returned, balancing two cups of water on a silver tray. As Calumet sipped from her glass, the Duke watched her fingers drumming impatiently on the stone wall of the pool and her foot tap restlessly.

"So, where do you hail from, milady?"

The question was innocent enough, but Calumet was immediately on guard for reasons unknown to Riam. She ignored his question, and he tried again.

"Are you traveling in Worl for a while, or is this land your home?"

Calumet met his gaze, and pressed her lips together. Her eyes were blank and emotionless, divulging nothing of the secrets that lurked there. Riam knew that she would not answer a direct question, but there were other ways to get the information he wanted.

"You know, you have committed a serious crime when you ran from me in the woods."

"So chop my head off." Calumet's tart answer drew the gazes of several people.

"I very well could, if it was pleasing to me, but I am feeling merciful today," he drawled.

"Oh how lucky for me!" cried the girl sarcastically.

Riam quickly switched topics.

"The harvest is going quite well this year. What do you think will bring in the most money, the cherry crop or the corn?"

Calumet shrugged casually and took a wild guess, not really caring about his silly harvest.

"I think the cherries."

The wicked look on Riam's face quickly drew her suspicion.

"Worl does not grow cherries or corn. Any of my subjects, even the children, would be able to tell you that. So you are not from around here, are you?"

Calumet quickly knew that she had stepped into a trap. Riam grinned viciously, and she realized that he had been goading her on. Her temper flared, and with the courtyard of servants staring, Calumet shoved at him with all the strength she had left. The arrogant Duke fell back into the fountain with a splash.

He came up spluttering for air and covered with lily pads and weeds, while Calumet stood there laughing at him. Then she picked up the remaining glass of water that Riam had left untouched and dumped it in his face. She was laughing so hard her stomach hurt as she wheezed and gasped for air, but the scene was too comical, with lily pads decorating the Duke's head and shoulders.

As he lunged from the mess like a swamp monster, the girl limped back out of reach, and made her way back to the manor as quickly as possible with her injuries, chuckling the entire way. All the occupants of the courtyard struggled to hide their laughter, and a furious, humiliated Riam went to change his clothes before giving chase. Cal would not be able to go anywhere.

Pulling the weeds off his clothing and wringing out his shirt, the Duke imagined ways to make the girl pay for that little trick of hers.

Calumet had not wasted the time Riam had spent changing. In the space of those short minutes, she had already found the kitchen, the library, and a large dining room obviously meant for formal occasions, but the girl could not find even one unguarded door in the vast expanses of the mansion. She paced back and forth in the corridor outside her room, a dark scowl plastered on her face, and then the captive decided to go back to the library. Books had a calming affect on her.

As she walked among the rows of books, Calumet wondered at the wealth of the mansion. They had a library at least three times the size of her own, and the books were all copied by the best of scribes and bound finely. Calumet reached out to stroke the soft leather covers, and her lips lovingly formed each word of the many titles. She loved to read, to be taken away from reality, and her favorites were the fairy-tales with a bit of romance. Though she was too stubborn to admit the fact, Calumet had a weakness for love and happy-ever-after endings, even if they were cheesy. Calumet had gotten her love of literature from her father, and the written word had been her escape ever since his death.

Unbidden memories lay siege to her imagination. Calumet closed her eyes in an attempt to chase the images from her head, but that only made them worse. The pale gasping face of her father… No! She put her hands to her head and massaged her temples, but when the vision refused to be leave her alone, she whirled and paced out of the room swiftly, the blanket that covered her shoulders flying out behind her like a cape.

And ran smack into Riam. He steadied her and grinned down at disoriented girl, amusement sparkling in his dark eyes, but with one look at her haunted up-turned face, the Duke frowned in concern. Yet, Calumet had smoothed her features over before he could blink, ignoring the pain in her stomach.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"What do you mean?"

Her voice was even and emotionless, but her eyes followed the Duke's every move suspiciously. Calumet was more aware than ever that the man in front of her was her enemy. Riam sighed in exasperation, knowing he would have to put his worries aside, and strove for a polite tone.

"I see you have found the library."

Calumet nodded, and the Duke continued.

"Feel free to read anything in here. My family has been collecting books for many generations."

Again, the girl nodded silently, and Riam tried to keep his frustration hidden. One minute, she would not shut up, but the next, it was like talking to a wall.

"Well, you are talkative. I bet that you could talk someone's ear off," he joked, trying to get a reaction out her.

A slight smile curved her lips, but it did not reach her eyes. Riam tried again.

"Do you need anything for your room? Food? Clothes?"

"May I have a bath?"

"Of course. I will have the nurse bring a tub, water, and soap to your room."

"Please," she said blandly.

Riam saw that she was about to leave, so he leaned casually on the doorway to block her escape, and his impish grin made Calumet take a few wary steps back.

"Do not think you got away with that little trick of yours at the fountain."

He saw her quickly scan the room for other exits, finding none, before she faced him once more with her chin going into the air and her arms crosses defensively.

"And what are you going to do about it?" she asked.

Riam prowled slowly closer, his eyes on hers, but he saw Calumet shift her stance slightly, ready for anything. Suddenly, the Duke charged, but to his utter astonishment, Calumet ducked around him with lightning fast reflexes, and he careened into a bookcase. When the Duke had gotten to his feet, he only got a glimpse of the corner of her blanket and her laughter echoed all the way down the hallway.

The Seven Crow Princes by the Brothers Grimm 

Well basically, in the original fairy-tale, seven boys are sent out to get water for the sister's baptism when she is born, but when they are late their frustrated father wishes they would turn into crows. Unfortunately, he gets his wish, and when she is older, the little girl sets out to find the brothers. She searches the world, and is given a key made of bone to unlock the glass mountain. But when she reaches the glass mountain, she realizes that she had lost the key and makes one out of her own finger. There she finds her brothers, the seven crow princes, being taken care of by a dwarf. She slips her ring into the youngest brother's glass, and when he finds it, they are reunited, and the curse is broken.

I don't have the story in front of me, so correct me if I am wrong on anything. As you can see, my story is very different. I meant to simply retell the story, but my imagination started running, and I couldn't catch it.


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